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Major General Blake C. Ortner recently served as the Commander, 29th Infantry Division, Ft. Belvoir, Virginia. Prior to this assignment, he served as the Assistant Division Commander for Maneuver, 29th Infantry Division, Ft. Belvoir, Virginia.
General Ortner is as 1983 graduate of University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minn., where he received a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations. He also holds a Masters Degree in Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College Class of 2010.
He received a Regular Army commission through the Reserve Officer Training Corps as an Infantry officer and served on active duty until 1987. In 1989, General Ortner joined the Virginia Army National Guard, serving in numerous assignments during more than 20 years in the 116th Infantry Regiment and 29th Infantry Division to include rifle company commander, battalion operations officer, battalion commander, brigade operations officer, brigade executive officer, brigade deputy commander, brigade commander and division operations officer. In 2001, General Ortner served as the Division Chief of Operations, Multi-National Division – North as part of the 29th Infantry Division support of Operation Joint Forge in Bosnia-Herzegovinian.
General Ortner commanded 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Infantry Regiment and deployed the battalion in 2004 to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom as the first Virginia National Guard infantry battalion to deploy to combat since World War II. In 2007, General Ortner was assigned as the deputy commander of the 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team and deployed to Baghdad, Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom where he served as a member of the Multi-National Forces – Iraq Area Support Group and later as the chief of operations for MNF-I. He assumed command of the 116th IBCT in June 2009. In May 2011 the brigade headquarters was mobilized for combat operations in Afghanistan supporting Operation Enduring Freedom where he commanded Combined Team Zabul which included active duty and NATO Romanian infantry battalions. In Novermber 2016 the 29th Infantry Division headquarters was mobilized to establish the first division headquarters for Operation Spartan Shield under Army Central in Kuwait. General Ortner was responsible for 5 brigades of Army Active, Reserve and National Guard brigades with forces in 10 countries including Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan.
He resides in Stafford and is employed by Paralyzed Veterans of America in Washington, D.C., as the Deputy Government Relations Director working with Congress to support veterans benefits and healthcare services.
SOURCE OF COMMISSIONED SERVICE: ROTC
EDUCATIONAL DEGREES University of Minnesota - Twin Cities - BA - International Relations U.S. Army War College - MS - Strategic Studies
MILITARY SCHOOLS ATTENDED
PROMOTIONS DATES OF APPOINTMENT 2LT (AC) 11 Jun 83 1LT (AC) 25 Nov 84 CPT (AC) 1 Jun 87 CPT (ARNG) 7 Nov 89 MAJ (ARNG) 5 Aug 98 LTC (ARNG) 7 Aug 03 COL (ARNG) 3 Aug 07 BG (ARNG) 15 Jan 14 MG (ARNG) 7 Dec 16
FROM
TO
ASSIGNMENT
Apr 18
Dec 16
Jul 17
Commander, TF SPARTAN, 29th Infantry Division, Camp Arifjan, Kuwait
Jul 15
Commander, 29th Infantry Division (Light), Fort Belvoir, Virginia
Nov 14
Assistant Division Commander- Maneuver (ADC-M), 29th Infantry Division, Fort Belvoir, Virginia
Jun 13
Commander, Land Component Command, Sandston, Virginia
Apr 12
Plans, Operations and Training Officer, Joint Forces Headquarters Virginia, Virginia Army National Guard, Blackstone, Virginia
Jan 12
Mar 12
Commander, Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Headquarters Headquarters Company, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Virginia Army National Guard, Staunton, Virginia
May 11
Dec 11
Commander, Combined Task Force Zabul, Headquarters Headquarters Company, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Combined Joint Task Force 10, Qalat, Afghanistan
Apr 09
May 08
Mar 09
Deputy Commander, Headquarters Headquarters Company, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Virginia Army National Guard, Staunton, Virginia
Nov 07
Chief, Current Operations - Night, Multi-National Force-Iraq Strategic Operations, Baghdad, Iraq
Jul 07
Deputy Commander, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Joint Area Support Group-Central Command, Virginia Army National Guard, Baghdad, Iraq
Mar 07
Jun 07
Mar 06
Feb 07
Executive Officer, Headquarters Headquarters Company, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Virginia Army National Guard, Staunton, Virginia
Jul 05
Feb 06
Battalion Commander, Headquarters Headquarters 3d Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 29th Infantry Division, Virginia Army National Guard, Winchester, Virginia
Jul 04
Battalion Commander, 3d 116th Infantry Battalion, Task Force Normandy, Combined Joint Task Force Thunder, Virginia Army National Guard, Forward Operating Base Ghazni, Afghanistan
Sep 02
Jun 04
Jun 02
Aug 02
Executive Officer, Headquarters Headquarters Company, 2d Battalion, 116 Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 29th Infantry, Virginia Army National Guard, Lynchburg, Virginia
Aug 01
May 02
Chief, G-3 Operations, 29th Infantry Division, Multinational Division (North), Task Force Eagle, NATO Stabilization Force-10, Bosnia-Herzegovina
Nov 00
Chief, G-3 Operations, Headquarters Headquarters Company, 29th Infantry Division Light, Virginia Army National Guard, Fort Belvoir, Virginia
Dec 99
Oct 00
Battalion S-3, Headquarters Headquarters Company, 2d Battalion, 116 Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 29th Infantry Division, Virginia Army National Guard, Lynchburg, Virginia
Sep 97
Nov 99
Operations Officer, Headquarters Headquarters Company, 29th Infantry Division Light, Virginia Army National Guard, Fort Belvoir, Virginia
Aug 92
Assistant Plans Officer, Headquarters Headquarters Company, 29th Infantry Division Light, Virginia Army National Guard, Fort Belvoir, Virginia
Apr 91
Jul 92
Company Commander, Company C, 1st Battalion, 170th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 29th Infantry Division Light, Virginia Army National Guard, Leesburg, Virginia
Nov 89
Mar 91
Assistant S-3 Air, Headquarters Headquarters Company, 2d Brigade, 29th Infantry Division Light, Virginia Army National Guard, Bowling Green, Virginia
Sep 87
Oct 89
Inactive Ready Reserve
Feb 87
Battalion S-1 Officer, Headquarters Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Washington
Dec 85
Platoon Leader, Company C, 2d Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Lewis, Washington
Sep 84
Scout Platoon Leader, Combat Support Company, 2d Battalion, 60th Infantry Regiment, 3d Brigade, 9th Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Washington
Oct 83
Platoon Leader, Company C, 2d Battalion, 60th Infantry Regiment, 3d Brigade, 9th Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Washington
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
DATE
GRADE
May 11 - Dec 11
Colonel
Jul 04 - Jul 05
Lieutenant Colonel
SUMMARY OF OPERATIONAL ASSIGNMENTS
Dec 16 - Jul 17
Major General
Nov 07 - May 08
Jul 07 - Nov 07
Aug 01 - May 02
Major
US DECORATIONS AND BADGES
CIVILIAN OCCUPATION Deputy Government Relations Director for Paralyzed Veterans of America located in Washington, D.C. General Ortner is responsible for Federal legislation and government relations, as well as budget analysis and appropriations, pertaining to veteran's benefits and services provided to veterans. He represents Paralyzed Veterans of America by preparing testimony and testifying to both House and Senate Committees regarding veterans' issues and proposed legislation.
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ACHIEVEMENTS
As of: 20 May 2019